11/07/2007

Everyone should read the article by Lacey Rose over at Forbes. It mentions United Hollywood and quotes our own Kate Purdy--and it shows that we're getting the message across about what this strike is really about:

When 12,000 Hollywood writers traded pencils for picket signs this week, they took a huge risk. Even riskier: not striking. Losing to the studios now could doom their union as television gives way to the Internet.

“We know that the future of the industry is the Web, and that in the near future television sets and computer monitors will merge into the same screen,” says Kate Purdy, a writer for CBS' Cold Case and a blogger behind a new strike-related writers' blog, United Hollywood.

25 comments:

I just wanted to say that, as someone who doesn't have any aspirations to be an entertainment writer, I initially didn't really understand why this strike was a big deal. But you guys have done an excellent job of making your case. I see now that the issues you guys are facing are much bigger than Hollywood--it's about who gets to define the terms of discussion as technology advances. In the face of a lot of change, you're all proving that unions aren't just still relevant, but just as necessary as they've ever been to give voice to real, live people at the bargaining table. So keep fighting the good fight.

I am NOT someone who is in the industry, I am just an enthusiastic TV viewer who would really like to turn on my TV and see new episodes of all of my favorite shows.

These overpaid TV executives (who often make poor programming choices...sorry still bitter about Firefly, Tru Calling and Surface) need to be fair and pay the writers what they are due. Without them your actors would have nothing to say...SERIOUSLY!

From what I have read in multiple articles it sounds like the WGA demands are VERY fair and reasonable and that this could easily be settled if you would just put pen to paper so the WGA members can too and get your shows back on the air.

My fathers a writer, so I grew up with some knowledge of how the residual system works. I'm in college now, and I don't know anyone who doesn't do their majority of TV watching on the web. Even the few who actually have a tv don't bother with actual channels, and instead hook them up to computers and use streaming services.

Streaming and downloadable content are the future, and if you don't stand up for your rights now you'll never see anything from it.

Please let everyone know that the reporting, especially by Dave McNary at Variety could not be more compromised or biased.

But that's not enough for wanna-be AMPTP publicist and supposed reporter Dave McNary.

Variety will not print any reader comments that are truly critical of Dave McNary, I know, I posted one and it never appeared.

In the censored comment I asked why since Nick Counter has said (according to the Variety article) that he will not negotiate with writers if they are on strike, why aren't we getting a federal injuction to have him removed? Refusal to negotiate with striking workers is a blatant violation of the Taft-Hartley law.

That comment was never posted. Anyone who believes that Variety is a real newspaper and not insanely biased against the writers is kidding themsleves.

The Forbes.com article you cite here is good journalism. It's fair and balanced. Ironic that a corporate business mainstay like Forbes should publish something so supportive of a union.

Maybe that's because it's the right thing to do. Maybe because they think what the AMPTP is so outrageously unfair, and now, with Nick Counter's statement, illegal.

Corporations aren't bad, corporations aren't the enemy. Bad management is the enemy. There are studio heads that are good businesspeople, who are fair and reasonable. They should get rid of Nick Counter who is clearly a hothead and a loose cannon and is making them look foolish in front of the more reasonable business people who read publications like Forbes.

I'm a member of SAG and WGA but I'm also an indie film producer, so I don't think producers are "bad people".

I think that Nick Counter is out of control and has been given too much power. The AMPTP should fire him, and the WGA should bring in someone reasonable like John Wells, who has the respect of all, to get these conversations back on track.

It's the Internet, Stupid.

We just need to figure out how to come up with a plan to pay everyone fairly in what will become the only delivery medium for content in the future.

Where would you suggest an inexperienced old lady, like me, email the powers that be that I support the writers. I would just like to explain to them that it's a very bad time for them to force a strike. Lots of Americans are feeling a financial pinch right now and are very sympathetic to people getting a raise.

I also wrote a seething comment to Variety about their biased reporting that was not ever printed. And then yesterday I sent Nikki Finke a comment with some new info and she used my comment verbatom in her story but never posted my comment or credited me. I guess everyone is in it for themselves.

As Orange County's leading conservative commentator, Pete Fundy has little respect for you Hollywood types.

With the exception of the fantastic series "24"--which has provided our troops overseas with some new and unusual methods of torturing terrorists--much of what you people create is crap. Many Americans would gladly deliver Krispy Kreme donuts by the truckload if it meant seeing Jimmy Kimmel go off the air, so Pete Fundy suggests that you people lighten up on the juvenile rhetoric.

I agree with "drew" up there... I really didn't realize what the strike was about, but you all have made a great case. It's ridiculous that they are using your work and not paying you for it, and profiting from it themselves. GOOD LUCK!!

For information about picketing in New York, see the WGA East web site. They have New York picket locations and signup information on the front page of the web site. Note that they are picketing one site in New York per day, not all of them each day.

What can someone who doesn't work in the industry and doesn't live anywhere near a picket line, but who IS a consumer of content, do to help? I'll write letters, I'll send emails, but I'd also write a check. Is there any organized way for consumers to show their support?

Just wanted to let you know I have uploaded two video interviews I shot yesterday at the picket lines over at CBS Radford.The first is with Samantha Who? writer Pamela Ribon, the second is with Donald Todd, Samantha Who?'s showrunner.

I am a WGA member and Ive been picketing for three straight days and will continue to do so - I support the Guild BUT, someone should let the WGA's president know that he really should let it be clear that SOME attempt is being made to return to the bargaining table. That would help re-energize the picket lines if they think there is some hope that the two sides will at least be in a room somewhere tRYING to work things out - but when we hear there are no new meetings scheduled, everyone's heart sinks. I know after the Sunday last minute meltdown, there needs to be a cooling off period, but the WGA should really make an effort to let their members know that a negotiating meeting will be taking place - the thought of the holidays and still being on strike are incredibly depressing.

I'm a worker on the web, and I fully support this strike. It will alter the way we negotiate for our pay -- and be another step forward in organizing creatives online. This includes programmers, who have, more and more, found their work routinized by the large volume of production online. See you on the picket lines.

I'm not a member of the Guild, nor am I involved in the industry, only a fan, but as the widow of an AFSCME worker, I'm familiar with the struggles of union workers. I wanted to let you know that many fans are with you in this. Some of us have started emailing companies like ITunes to inform them that out of solidarity with the WGA, that we are boycotting purchases of tv series, films and even music, we would normally make from them and other companies until the strike is resolved fairly and equitably. I wanted to share this in the hopes that others consider doing the same.

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